Life in Bao Gu
by Naiatra Equatron
Summary: Everyone knew Shifu adopted Tigress. But no one really knows how the process took place. What Tigress had been through during her days in the orphanage and how she came to love Shifu so much.
1. At the doorstep

**Yes, new story. I'm posting this now, cause it's been haunting me. **

**Disclaimer (For the entire chapter) : I don't own Kung Fu Panda.**

**At the doorstep**

A bright full moon shone up in the sky as stars around it sparkled like pieces of broken gem. A cool, evening breeze blew by making the trees and bushes in the landscape rustle softly. Crickets chirped, but all was still. Not a single cloud was in the sky.

An old sheep stood by the entranceway of Bau Gu orphanage. She had deep brown eyes and she wore a red dress trimmed blue with a yellow sash around her middle and a pair circular glasses sitting on the rim of her nose. Her name is Mrs.. Han, and she was the head caretaker of the orphanage.

A candle placed on a tea-cup shaped candle holder was flickering on the ground next to her; something to help combat the darkness. But such a thing seemed irrelevant for the moon provided enough light already. She was gazing upon the star-filled heaven. She rubbed her hoofs against each other than placed it upon her shoulders to give herself some warmth. Mrs. Han turned to both sides, checking for any other person besides herself who was still awake at this hour. When she found none, she spun around and closed the doors behind her quietly.

She picked up the candle and walked across the courtyard, an orb of orange glow following her every step. She passed by the huge tree that her parents, the founders and first caretakers of the orphanage, had planted at the center of the _tulou_. She silently strode along the Hallway and stopped at the orphan's sleeping quarters. Han opened it ever so slightly as it made a dull creaking sound, the light of the candle washing through the dark chamber and it gave her enough luminescence to gaze at the sleeping figures of the little children wrapped around in warm blankets. Mrs. Han smiled before closing the door.

The sheep was heading for her bed chamber when she heard a muffled sound of a child whimpering. Mrs. Han stopped, turning back to stare at the darkened Hallway. She strained her ears to listen for the sound again but three minutes had passed and she heard nothing, only silence. With a shrug, she continued on her way. She was almost to her room when she heard it again, the strange sound of a whimpering infant.

Mrs. Han whirled to gaze through the corridor once again, adjusting her glasses. "My goodness, I think my age has finally taken its toll on me!" she whispered.

The whimpering sounded again, and this time Mrs. Han felt a chill run down her spine causing her to shiver. _Could it be a ghost? _She dared assume. After a minute's pause, she went down the hall to where the sound came from. She mentally scolded herself for thinking that it was some sort of wandering spirit.

As she made it the end of the hallway, she stepped into the veranda listening to the whimpering. It got louder...and it came from outside the gates. She rested a hoof upon the wooden pillar supporting the top floor as she stared at the large doors, hesitating whether to proceed or not. Releasing a deep breath, Mrs. Han gripped the candle holder's handle tightly and walked towards the gates.

Her dark shadow stretched in front of her. Her footsteps were light, almost inaudible in the stillness of the night. Mrs. Han tried not to be scared but the shivering of her hoofs betrayed her. She had just reached the tall tree amid the orphanage when she sensed a new presence in her surroundings.

Mrs. Han instantly stiffened as her eyes widened in terror. She could make out faint sounds of footfalls heading towards her and she silently prayed that whoever it was that's approaching did not have any bad intentions towards her.

A hoof rested atop her shoulder and instantly her instincts kicked in. She grabbed the hoof and with all the strength she can muster, tossed the figure overhead and slammed him on the ground in front of her. A dull thud followed after Mrs. Han's feat. She glared at the figure but her eyes widened upon recognizing the nineteen-year-old looking pig wearing a blue night robe. "Ding?"

Ding smiled awkwardly towards the sheep. "Good evening, Mrs. Han," he croaked.

"Gracious, boy, you gave me a fright!"

"Sorry." Mrs. Han helped him to his feet and dusted the dirt off his clothes. She held the candle at shoulder level as she looked at the young pig curiously. "Why are you still awake? It's past bedtime."

"I couldn't sleep," Ding replied. "Shouldn't you be in bed too?"

"I was about to head to my room when I kept hearing a child crying."

As if on cue, the whimpering sound Mrs. Han was telling Ding rang again, and this was the loudest the sheep had heard it. Both simultaneously turned towards the gates where it was coming from. Ding scooted closer to Han, frightfully grabbing a hoof-full of her night-dress.

The two were silent as the tree beside them, until Mrs. Han began to move towards the closed gates.

"Mrs. Han! What are you doing?" Ding panicked.

"Dancing," the sheep replied sarcastically. "What does it look like, boy?"

"B-but...M-Mrs.. Han!"

"Shssss!"

They had reached the gates and the pig was clinging to Mrs. Han like a child.

"Unhand me, Ding!" She pulled the pig away from her. She gave him a stern glance. She thrust the candle towards him, Ding tentatively grabbed the candle holder.

Mrs. Han shifted her attention back to the door. She stretched her hoofs into the heavy door's surface, delaying for a few seconds before she placed her other hoof on it and gently pushed the entrance open. Both of them were a little shock at what the other side revealed.

A red bundle of cloth with golden bamboo patterns wrapped around a tiny figure at the doorstep. It squirmed a bit and it was where the crying noises were coming from. Mrs. Han walked forward and scooped it up, wrapping her arms around it protectively. She rocked it as it continued to cry, shushing it ever so gently. She took the fabric away from its face and she was a bit shocked upon seeing a species she had never seen before in her life.

The baby...was a tiger. And she was a female.

"My word..." Han breathed.

Ding scooted closer and his eyes instantly fell upon the cub in her arms. His eyes widened as though he hasn't seen a baby before in his life. "Where did that come from?"

Mrs. Han gave Ding a withering look. "Goodness, boy, you're almost 20 years old and no one has given you 'the talk' yet?"

Ding pouted. "That's not what I meant, Ma'am. Who left it here?" He pointed at the cub.

Mrs. Han lowered her gaze. She then searched the cub's wrappings for any notes left by her parents. But she found none. "I don't know. There's no note anywhere." The tiger cub started crying again. Mrs. Han rocked her to quiet her down.

Ding reached a hoof and touched the infant's forehead. He began stroking it tenderly and the tiger cub calmed down. It even smiled and began to purr softly. Ding smiled at her sweet face. "What should we call it?" he asked the sheep.

She honestly didn't know. For years she was assigned the task of naming every abandoned child that had no identity. She loved doing it so much, but due to the many names she gave the previous children, she was running out of ideas for good names.

Mrs. Han bit her lips as she thought about it. She looked at the tiny stripped person sleeping peacefully in her embrace, searching. _What to name you? _She thought. Her eyes narrowed, and then her face brightened as she snapped her hoofs as the idea popped into her mind. "Tigress!" she declared.

Ding scoffed. "Tigress? That's the best name you can come up with?"

The sheep scowled at him. "If you don't like it then you name her."

Ding searched his mind. But he couldn't come up of a good one that'll suit the child. He sighed, "Fine. Tigress is it."

Han smiled in victory. "Good."

She decided that the tiger cub should sleep with her tonight, and for the next following nights for she needed proper supervision. Mrs. Han requested Ding to fetch a spare crib they had in the storage room and bring it to her room. The sheep gave the little cub a quick bath and wrapped her in clean new sheets. But Han didn't discard the cloths which the cub had been covered with for she might need them in sewing the infant new clothes.

Ding came inside the room carrying the object Mrs. Han requested him to retrieve. "Where do want this, Ma'am?" he asked his voice slightly strained as he struggled against the crib's weight.

"Near my bed, dear," Mrs. Han replied and Ding placed the crib close to her bed.

Yawning, the pig bade the caretaker goodnight before leaving for the Caretaker's Sleeping Quarters. Once he was gone, Mrs. Han placed the newest member of their "family" in the crib. The cub stirred a bit then gave a cat yawn. All of a sudden, the cub's eyelids twitched and after several blinks, she opened her eyes for the first time.

Han was so astounded by the color of the infant's eyes: scarlet cores set in a sea of golden-yellow. Like the view of the glorious form of the red sunset. Tigress reached her tiny paws up and Han dipped her head lower so that the cub's small paws placed themselves upon her nose. Tigress giggled and made cooing sounds as the both of them locked eyes.

She couldn't help but smile at the cub. She picked her up as she thrashed around and laughed. Mrs. Han blew a raspberry at the back of the feline's ear, making her giggle. The sheep chuckled. "Time for you to sleep, darling."

She hummed as she gently rocked Tigress to sleep. After a minute or two, Tigress' eyelids started to grow heavy and she gave a yawn. Then a few seconds later, she lay back against Han's arms as she rubbed her face into her chest, and finally fell asleep.

Mrs. Han deposited the infant into the crib, placed a kiss on her forehead and climbed into bed. "Good night, Tigress."

**Reviews are very much appreciated :D**


	2. Bao Gu's secret

**Thanks for all the reviews, guys! :D **

* * *

**Bao Gu's secret**

_6 years later..._

The sun rose from the eastern mountains, staining everything in a golden-colored glow. The light rays touched the façade of a large circular _tulou_ surrounded by tall green grass and trees. In view the building looked like a place where criminals are kept. But in truth that prison-like structure is where unwanted and neglected children are cared for. Bao Gu Orphanage is what is commonly known to all. "Precious Valley", a name that befits where it is located in the empire of course, the Valley of Peace.

Inside the building, the caretakers were already up and about, preparing breakfast for the children of the orphanage.

Ding was stirring a pot of porridge above a wood stove in the kitchen. He wore a sleeveless dirty-white vest and darker brown pants with a lighter brown sash that wrap around his waist. A white towel was drapped around his shoulders which he used occasionally to wipe away sweat.

While the pig was busy cooking, two other persons were occupied with the task of setting the table in the Dining Hall which was just through the door in the next room. One was a sheep in a yellow dress adorned with orange flower patterns. She had deep brown eyes, and her name is Tian. She is also the current head-caretaker of the orphanage. The other one a rabbit sporting a light green dress and dark blue pants; her eyes were the color of the sea and she is known as Ming.

Then a goose came inside the room. He had on a blue robe and a cap just like that of Ding's and he was carrying two baskets full of fruits, vegetables, some treats and other goods. He carried the basket towards the cupboards and set it down the counter.

Ms. Tian stopped to look at the goose, smiling at him fondly. "Kuon? My," she walked over the table towards him and looked at the contents of the basket with delight. "These are many!"

"Yeah," Kuon said as he rotated his shoulders. "I still have to pick up three more crates outside. The donations from the village have certainly increased."

Ms. Tian nodded with satisfaction. "Yes, yes, and quite dramatically too! I just hope that this continue so we may no longer have problems with food supply." The sheep turned towards Ding who was done with cooking then towards the table where Ming had placed the last plate in place. "Hmm, I believe it is time for breakfast. Ming, have you given the children their baths?"

"Um, not yet ma'am." Ming replied sheepishly. "I'm afraid the little ones are still asleep."

"Oh." Tian furrowed her brows. "And we have prepared the breakfast already." She looked a the large pot of porridge above the stove. "Oh dear, this will go cold! We can't certainly feed the children food that has gone cold?"

"I can go and wake them up if you want, Ms Tian?" Kuon volunteered as he raised a wing in the air.

The sheep shook her head. "Oh no dear that won't be necessary. Let's just wait for them to wake up. In the meantime, let us make sure to keep the porridge warm in time for them to eat."

"Yes Ma'am."

When the children rose from their beds, Ming and Kuon took them into the bathing room and gave them all a bath. There were some little ones who refused to get clean and so they received a lecture from the two caretakers, albeit gently. Once every child was clean, and were in fresh new garments the two ushered them into the Dining Hall.

Breakfast went normally. Ding, Ming and Kuon helped with feeding those children who are having a hard time. Ms Tian could not be with them that time because she was busy in her office doing paper work. The monthly adoption is in three days, so she needed to prepare the adoption forms.

After the meal, the children were then allowed to play in the courtyard. Ding transferred the left-over porridge into a smaller pot before attending to his other chores. Ming picked up all the dirty dishes and deposited them into the wash tub and it was Kuon's task to wash the dishes. But the male goose wasn't too happy about it.

"Why do I always get stuck with the dirty dishes?" he complained as he buried his wings deep in the waters, scrubbing the dishes.

"Quit complaining!" Ming said as she swept the floor. "You should be thankful that's all you have to do! Do you want to switch places with me with changing their diapers?"

He glared at her over his shoulder. "No thanks. I think I'll stick to doing dish duty."

The two then went back to their tasks. A few minutes later Ding came inside the room. He went towards the wood stove to pick up the large pot, and carried it towards the sink; placing it next to the pile of unclean dishes.

"Great," Kuon muttered, "more work for me."

Ding then sat on a chair a few ways away from Kuon. He wiped his forehead with the towel drapped over his shoulders. "Dang, I got lots of things to build." He noticed a lonely bowl between two clay pots, completely untouched. Ding suddenly remembered a certain feline who probably hasn't eaten yet. He looked at his fellow caretakers that were busy with their chores. "Has anyone brought Tigress breakfast?"

The very mention of her name made Ming and Kuon froze in mid-motion. Silene dragged on for a few seconds as Ding's question hung in the air, which seemed to have suddenly became tense. Then the two caretakers snapped back to reality, and pretended to seem too engrossed with each of their tasks so they wouldn't have to deal with Ding's unanswered question.

"C'mon you two," Ding sighed, sounding a bit disappointed, "we're not going to let the poor thing starve to death." He rose from his seat and went into the cupboards. He took a bowl and scooped up some left-over porridge from the small pot where it had been transferred after Ding had deposited the larger one into the wash tub. The pig then approached Ming and held up the bowl to her. "Here take this to her."

Ming suddenly paled and she released her grip on the broom, making it fall to the ground with a clatter. "You can't be serious!" the rabbit snapped. "I'm not going in that room - you can't make me!"

"Now Ming," the pig began in a hard voice. He snatched away her paw and forced her to hold onto the bowl. "Don't start. Just take the bowl to her room and get out as quickly as you could."

"If I ever get out!" Ming retorted and then thrust the bowl back into Ding's hoofs. "No, no. Please! Let Kuon do it!"

"Busy here!" _Man, I never thought I'd feel lucky._

"Ming." The rabbit winced at Ding's cold tone. Oh no... She was very much aware of what the consequences are if he talked like that! "Just give the girl her food."

"Ding..." she visibly pleaded, hoping to be excused from doing this risky duty. But Ding crossed his arms over his chest, and narrowed his eyes sternly at her. And that was the end of her refusal.

Panic was clear on her features. Ming's eyes darted from Ding to Kuon then towards the door. She imagined herself striding slowly towards th hall that lead to _her _room. Darkness explodes in her atmosphere then she finds herself locking eyes with a creäture so fierce and dangerous.

Ming gulped. Ding had once again placed the bowl of porridge into her paws. Seeing that there is not escape with this, she walked out of the kitchen with a slow pace.

As she made her way towards the east wing of the orphanage, a few horrid fates that might befall her played over and over inside of Ming's head. She couldn't believe that they had assigned this task to her. One of them could have gone but no, they had to assign her!

She reached a staircase and quickly mounted it and proceeded down the hall. She made a left turn and stopped when she reached a darkened place was forbidden to the children, but not to them caretakers. No one had ventured this part of the orphanage, not even Ms. Tian. For on somewhere deep inside this narrow passage, lies the secret of Bao Gu.

The shadows engulfing the hall seemed to stretched towards her, tauting her. Ming hesistated whether she should continue. What if she never get out? What if she'll get stuck in there with...with that _thing_? What if...?!

Ming vigorously shook her head to rid the negative thoughts. Inhaling a vast amount of breath, the young rabbit strode forwards.

Her pace was slow and cautious, a resonating _tap _followed her every step. The floorboards beneath her feet creaked under her weight, further scaring her already spooked soul. Ming was getting closer...and closer...and closer...

...until she was standing right in front of the door. Ming gazed at the its entire structure. Ding was the one who made it, using the hardest of metal and reinforced with iron locks as thick as a rhino's fist. It might seem very harsh for them to enforce such upon one of their inhabitants, but there was no other choice.

Ming fished from the pocket inside her robe and quickly unlocked the door, which took her about a minute to do so. Very cautiously, she pushed the large metal door open.

As the rabbit had expected, it was dark inside. The only light source was the sun rays filtering through the window. Yet still, the atmosphere inside the chamber looked horrifying, and it sent chills down Ming's spine. She brought one foot forward then paused, her body refusing make further movements.

She inhaled air through her nose. _Pull yourself together, Ming! Just go inside and leave the bowl on the floor. That's all. C'mon you can do it!_

Upon summoning enough courage, Ming entered the room. "Hello..." she called. "Tigress..?" Her eyes widened when she saw the bits of shattered wood and remains of broken toys and furniture littering the floor. As her eyes roamed, she gaped at the sight of long scratch marks stretching across the wall. They look like they were made by an animal, an animal with razor sharp claws.

"I b-brought y-you b-breakfast dear." Her voice shook.

The floor creaked and she spun around; nearly dropping the bowl of porridge she had on her small hands upon seeing the little person standing before her. The girl blinked innocently and smiled at Ming, showing off those sharp fangs.

"Hi Ming..." little Tigress greeted sheepishly, waving a paw.

The rabbit stood stone stiff for who knew how long. There...right before her very eyes was the one thing Bao Gu had kept secret ever since the accident that occurred two years earlier. Ming snapped out of her fear-stricken state, and remembered why she was there in the first place. She reached out the meal to the young tiger cub, forcing a smile despite her fright. "Here. I - AHEM! - brought you some food."

Tigress gratefully accepted the offer. "Thank you."

Ming hurriedly went to the exit, but just as she was about to escape the possible predicament she might fell into Tigress' voice stopped her. "Ming, when can I go outside?"

Her head whipped backwards. "I-I don't know Tigress." Ming replied quickly. She turned around read to make a break for it but Tigress ceased her again.

"I really want to play with the others," Tigress said, slightly pleading. "Please, Ming, may I come outside?"

"No Tigress."

"But Ming, last time Ding said that I..." the little girl ran towards the rabbit. Her paw simply brushed against her back, but Ming's reaction was instant. She yelped and swung her hand backwards, accidentally hitting Tigress' paw.

The cub drew her paw back, staring in hurt and shock towards the caretaker.

"I said no!" Ming yelled, her panic and fright overwhelming her. "Until we say that you can come out, you stay in here!" She ran out of the room, grabbed the door and slammed it shut. She fumbled through the keys to find the right one and then locked the door. Without thought, she dashed through the hall.

* * *

The audible click from the other side of the door told Tigress that the it was now sealed shut. There was no way she can go out it. Her sharp hearing could make out the sounds of fading footfalls of Ming running down the hall, and right after the sound disappeared silence engulfed her world. The little tiger cub sat on the floor, bowing her head so she could stare at her dull reflection upon the bowl of porridge in her tiny paws.

Locked up again.

Why is that they always kept her inside this room? What exactly had she done to deserve this? All Tigress ever wanted was to have a taste of the outside world. To enjoy the things that the other orphans in Bao Gu were given without charge : freedom.

But she was in here, in the dark caverns of what they decided to be her room, enforced with a large metal door strong enough to hold her in, and keep them out of her reach. And all for what? Because of what she can do.

Drops of tears fell into the bowl's contents, floating up the porridge's white mushy surface, before sinking deep into its elements. Anger and frustration boiled inside her, causing Tigress to grip the bowl tightly; cracking it due to the force she applied.

Tigress suddenly stood up abruptly and as she turned towards her bed, she threw the bowl away. It shattered on the wall.

* * *

**Sorry for the many mistakes.**

**Review please :D**


End file.
